Calgary Weight Management Myths: Busted

For our personal trainers in Calgary, weight management is not just approached with expert training programs. We believe that by supplying our clients with as much information as possible, we empower them to make the right choices for their body.

There is tons of information out there on the best way to shed weight and achieve your dream body. However, despite the fact that many experts and professionals have tried to clear the record, there is still a strong amount of confusing and even conflicting information about health and fitness. In this post, we’ll bust some of the most common weight management myths.

Myth #1: Sticking To Cardio Is The Best Weight Management Solution

While you may lose weight doing cardio only, those long sessions on the treadmill or elliptical can burn away both fat and muscle. A combination of running and weight training can help you stay toned while also building muscle mass. Additionally, runners and cyclists can definitely gain an edge in their respective activities by strengthening their legs, core, and arms.

Myth #2: Eating Very Little Is A Quick and Healthy Way To Lose Weight

Many people think that the key to weight loss is as simple as restricting their calories. This myth has some basis in track: it is true that overeating causes weight gain.

However, when aiming to cut back on food to shed weight, it’s important to enlist a Calgary weight management expert or even visit a Calgary weight loss clinic. This is because when done incorrectly, dieting or extreme weight loss can cause long term problems like a sluggish metabolism, low energy levels, and inadequate nutrition.

It’s also important to ensure that you adequately fuel your workouts. Not getting enough nutrition prior to workouts sap your energy, so ask your Calgary personal trainer for some awesome recipes to help you fuel your workouts the healthy way. Our blog features tons of our favorite healthy recipes--even crepes can fit in your meal plan if you make the right adjustments to the recipe.

Myth #3: Crunches Are The Best Way To Get Defined Abs

Some gyms are full of individuals doing set after set of crunches to help tone their midsections. However, this is only part of the journey to a strong and defined core. In order for abdominal muscles to show, a person’s body fat percentage must be sufficiently low (for biological reasons, this number differs between men and women). This means that sticking to healthy diet, as well as doing the right amount of cardio, is incredibly important.

Additionally, crunches aren’t the only exercise to give your middle a workout: hanging leg lifts, side bends, and a host of other exercises can be a great way to strengthen your abs.

Myth #4: “No Pain No Gain”

It’s true that it’s important to push yourself when it comes to a workout. However, there's a difference between feeling exhausted and feeling pain during a session. Exercising if you've suffered an injury can make your situation exponentially worse.

When it comes to telling whether or not you’re pushing too hard, listen to your body. If you’re feeling a sharp pain, ache, muscle pull, or difficulty moving or breathing, take a break and assess the situation. All of this goes double if you’re in recovery for an injury or have an old health issue that can be aggravated by exercise.

An injury doesn’t mean saying goodbye to your fitness goals. Working with a Calgary weigh loss clinic or personal trainer can help you achieve your weight management goals without hurting yourself along the way.

Myth #5: Sports Drinks Are The Best Way To Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is a key aspect of fitness. Sports drinks, long featured in professional sports games and endorsed by celebrities, might seem like a natural choice. But, when it comes to getting hydrated, it’s important to remember that there is nothing more hydrating than water.

For most individuals working out for 1 hour or less, water is a much better option than sports drinks. Even athletes training in the 1-3 hour range can gain their hydration from water and replenish their electrolytes through a normal, healthy diet. Athletes doing more extreme levels of activity, such as a marathon, sports drinks are an option but are also not the only choice out there.

Additionally, for anyone seeking to lose weight, a sports drink can contain loads of added sugar and even caffeine.